HOWTO: Latest NVIDIA drivers

If you want to install Nvidia driver with the nvidia installer (I've tried v.7667) and you use a kernel from Ubuntu Hoary or you compiled it from Hoary sources (or kernel.org sources), then just try this HOWTO.
If you have a kernel from Ubuntu Breezy then try this HOWTO:http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=52924OR just look at point 2 of the problems section of THIS guide.

Make sure you graphic card is not among the ones which are NOT SUPPORTED by looking at the list you will find in the NOTES SECTION *
You need 7676 version only if you have Geforce 7800, otherwise is useless (and it has some bugs). If you haven't got this graphic card PLEASE try 7667, it's more stable.

If you have Ubuntu 64bit you can't install OpenGL32bit compatibility libraries, so when the installer asks whether to install it just answer no OR you may want to try a workaround which Draugen found but which I haven't tried myself (look at the PROBLEMS SECTION at the end of the guide: point 5).

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf_backup

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
scroll the file down until you find the line with “Modules” and comment out (by putting a "#" before the line) the 2 lines I put in blue and add Load "glx". It should look like the example below:

CTRL+O to save (yes, use the same name and overwrite the file)
CTRL+X to exit

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start (or "kdm start" if you use KDE)

Now you have installed the new nvidia driver.

If you want a "control panel" which shows the settings of your card you might want to install "Nvidia-settings" (this part of the guide has been taken from the Unofficial Ubuntu Starter Guide) although they driver works fine also without it (the choice it's up to you).

Open Terminal or Konsole and type

sudo apt-get install nvidia-settings

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/NVIDIA-Settings.desktop (you can use "kate" instead of "gedit" in KDE)

** the name of the installer may vary:
e.g. it could be NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7667-pkg1.run.

So just put the name of the installer you've downloaded from Nvidia website.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) If the installer complains in this way (this is an example of part of the error):
...
nvidia: version magic '2.6.10-5-386 preempt 386 gcc-3.4' should be
'2.6.10-5-386 preempt 386 gcc-3.3'
ERROR: Installation has failed. Please see the file
'/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details.
...

This means the installer tries to use gcc-3.4 instead of gcc-3.3(the right one).Type this before launching NVIDIA installer:

CC=gcc-3.3
export CC

The number of the version of gcc has to be the same as the 2nd one reported in the error by nvidia installer (i.e. the word I put in red instead of the one I put in blue)

then run nvidia installer again.

3) If the installer complains in this way:
...
ERROR: Unable to find the development tool `cc` in your path; please make sure
that you have the package 'gcc' installed. If gcc is installed on your
system, then please check that `cc` is in your PATH.

The user Reid has suggested this solution:

To find out where 'gcc' is located I did:
Code:

which gcc

which returned:
Code:

/usr/bin/gcc

then I made a symbolic link to gcc called cc so programs trying to use 'cc' would get gcc, with this code:
Code:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/gcc /usr/bin/cc

Then try the installer again.

4) If you have an AGP graphic card and your system freezes but you can still move the mouse pointer you will have to do this:
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Add the lines in red at this section of the file:

5) If you have Ubuntu 64bit you will have some problems when trying to install OpenGL32bit compatibility libraries, so yuomay want to try a workaround suggested by Draugen but which I haven't tried myself

Re: HOWTO: Latest NVIDIA drivers

CC=gcc-3.4 (here you have to put the number of the gcc you used to compile your kernel, which is 3.4 in my case*)

export CC

When I wanted to compile the modules for a Breezy kernel in Hoary I had to use gcc 3.4. If you want to compile them for a Hoary kernel in Breezy you should use the gcc with which Hoary kernel are usually compiled.

I'm not sure if it is gcc 3.3 (try with this one first).

If this gcc doesn't work you should try different versions of gcc until you find the right one (and the module will compile).

Have a look at this:

Originally Posted by haddog

This works great. Getting the corect version of gcc is the key. When you run the Nvidia installer, if it fails because of your version of gcc, it will tell you what version of gcc you need based on what your kernel is compiled with. Make sure to get gcc-X.X and not just gcc-X.X- base.

This was in my other thread about installing NVIDIA drivers with a Breezy kernel. That's how things work.

Re: HOWTO: Latest NVIDIA drivers

Originally Posted by izmaelis

What are big improvements in this new nVidia driver if there are any? If there are no, why should any user bother installing/upgrading them?

Well, the main reason is COMPATIBILITY. Without driver 7664-7667 I could never have 3d acceleration or a screen without any corruption with my Geforce 6200 PCI-E. Latest Nvidia graphic cards might not work with Ubuntu's nvidia drivers. I don't play games under Linux (I have an Xbox for that) but: in my case "nv" drivers= screen corruption, nvidia drivers (the ones you can install following Ubuntu Starter Guide) =black screen, no Xorg. If you want to know about the changes in the latest release (7676 I think) you shoul go to nvidia forum, Linux section.

Re: HOWTO: Latest NVIDIA drivers

I think that I won't bother installing new nVidia drivers cause my video card is quite old (FX5600XT), I'm not a gamer person and it works just fine now.
Anyway, I'll remember this thread for possible future needs. Thanks.